Let's Get To It!

Happy Tuesday, Activists!

We hope you had a fabulous July 4th weekend and enjoyed all the festivities wherever you are.  The U.S. team may be out of the World Cup tournament now, but you can still check out last week's joyous video clips in last Tuesday's newsletter.  We hope they bring you the joy they bring us.  Send us your favorites by replying to this email!  

You can also see the Calls To Action in last Tuesday's newsletter and especially the one about getting politicians' hands off our science research!   We have another one below.  

CALLS TO ACTION

1.  Email our Members of Congress and urge themn to hold the line and not give another dime to fund Trump's illegal war with Iran.  After launching a disastrous war with Iran against the will of the American people (and without the authorization of Congress) Trump is now seeking $87 billion from our tax-dollars to pay for it. Congress has passed War Powers Resolutions rebuking the regime over this illegal war. But that means little if they now vote to fund it.

2.  The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) moves through Congress each year, giving lawmakers an opportunity to sneak in other policies that would not typically pass on their own. This year, Congress is being asked to consider provisions that would enable even deeper entrenchment of the Trump-Netanyahu military relationship, while shielding it from typical congressional oversight - even as Netanyahu sabotages ceasefire efforts. This is bad policy that should not be passed into law.  Email or call our Members of Congress and urge them to reject this right-wing plan to further entangle the Trump-Netanyahu war relationship. 

Here are the contacts to call and write:

Sen. McCormick – Phila office 215-405-9660; D.C. office 202-224-6324; email link

Sen. Fetterman – Phila office 215-241-1090; D.C. 202-224-4254; email link

For outside PA:  Find your senators’ phone numbers and emails at this link

Rep. Evans – D.C. 202-225-4001; Phila. office (215) 276-0340; email link

Rep. Boyle – D.C. office 202-225-6111; Phila office 215-335-3355; email link

Rep. Scanlon -- D.C. office 202-225-2011; Chester office (610) 626-2020; email link

Outside Philadelphia?  Find your Representative here.

MORE CITIZENS BANK PROTESTS

Come out and protest the cruelty Citizens Bank is financially supporting by lending to GEO Group and Core Civic, the two largest private detention camp companies. The detainees in these prison facilities are fed rancid "food", hardly receive - or don't receive at all - medical treatment, and are forced into solitary confinement at an alarming rate.  

Here in Pennsylvania, GEO operates the Moshannon Valley Processing Center, the largest ICE detention facility in the Northeast. When people in our communities are abducted by ICE, they are usually taken to Moshannon.

TWO PROTESTS: 

Where:  8623 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia

When:  Saturday, July 11, 10:00 - 11:00 am

Sign up here.

AND . . . 

Where: 1515 Market Street, Philadelphia

When:  Saturday, July 18, 11:00 - Noon

Sign up here.

AND SPEAKING OF DETENTION CAMPS - 

WRITE LETTERS IN OUR TWO LETTER-WRITING PROJECTS

These letters put pressure on companies that profit from detention camps, or to not start profiting from them in the first place.  

1) Our Detention Camp Labor Project where you'll join over 865 other letter-writers in pushing companies to commit to not use detention camp labor.  The DCL Team emails volunteers weekly lists of a few corporations or organizations to send letters to. These emails will include details about how to address your letters and key talking points. 

2) Our Citizens Bank Letter Project, where you'll write directly to Citizens Bank and other of their partners, demanding they stop their financial relationship with detention camp companies GEO Group and CoreCivic. These letters are a adjunct to all of our other Citizens Bank protest efforts. 

SIGN UP TO READ THE ORIGINAL PRESIDENT'S HOUSE PANELS! 

This one is awesome. Remember when we told you about Sheri Utain, who was featured when Rachel Maddow profiled this project, as Sheri read passages from the President's House panels aloud?  You can sign up to do it too! 

The Old City Remembers project is how you do it.  Volunteers take shifts at the President's House site on Independence Mall, reading the text of the original panels aloud, and inviting passers-by to do the same.  The organizers will continue to need more volunteers as tourist season heats up!

Peter Lehu, leader of the Mt. Airy Indivisible team, has this report about his experience: "I found it meaningful and impactful to read the text of the removed panels at the President's House.  Tourists are streaming through so I reached hundreds of people in an hour and a half.  Many stopped to listen to me and over a dozen thanked me.  It's super easy to register, sign up for a shift, and read the text directly from your phone."  

Check out the project at this link, then click the included link to review the onboarding slides and take the quiz, then tell them you're interested in being a volunteer!  It's all at this link.

MORE PROTESTS YOU CAN JOIN

1.  Springfield protest - Every Saturday, 1:00 - 2:00 at the intersection of Baltimore Pike and PA Route 320.  Bring your signs on your favorite topic!  

2. Tesla Takedown Protest - Every Saturday - 11:00 - Noon

Tesla Takedown Devon - At the Tesla showroom, 470 Lancaster Ave, Devon, PA 

3. Every Friday -- 11:15 am - Join Fridays@Fetterman's for the weekly Friday vigil for peace in Gaza/Palestine outside of Senator John Fetterman's office at 200 Chestnut Street from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm. Register here  

4.  Fitz Friday - 5:00 - 6:00 pm -- Protest at Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick's office at One Summit Square, Langhorne, PA. Bring signs about whatever you want. There's a lot to complain about!

5.  Every Wednesday  4:00 - 5:00 pm -- Join this resistance group at #WeThePeopleWednesdays for Singing for Sanity at High Point Cafe at Allens Lane.  More information is here.

6.  Every Thursday, 4:30 - 6:00 pm.  Join your Northern Liberties neighbors in peaceful protest at the corner of 2nd and Spring Garden Streets. Bring signs or borrow ours! 

7.  Every Wednesday at noon - Outside the Philadelphia ICE Office, 114 N. 8th Street.   Sponsored by New Sanctuary Movement.  This is a 40-week series of Interfaith Prayer Vigils.  

8. Every Monday at Noon - Monday at McCormick's -- Join our friends at Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW for Monday's at McCormick's, in front of Senator McCormick's office at 20th and Market Streets.

9 - 11.  Vigils outside the ICE office at 114 North 8th Street: 

• Every Monday at 11:00 AM - Sponsored by State Senator Art Haywood and led by local clergy.

• Every Wednesday at noon -  Sponsored by New Sanctuary Movement.  This is a 40-week series of Interfaith Prayer Vigils. 

• Every Friday at 3:00 - Join this vigil

11. Are you outside the Philadelphia area?  You can see all the protests planned by Indivisibles in your area at this link. 

And A Few More Things:

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